What Does Joseph’s Colorful Coat Teach Us about the Danger of Favoritism?
My grandparents loved The Prince of Egypt and, thus, were enthusiastic about the dramatic rendition of Joseph’s story. They thoughtfully purchased the movie and the book adaptation for my sisters and me. When I saw the film as a small child, the main part of Joseph: King of Dreams (DreamWorks 2000) that stayed engraved in my mind was Joseph in prison, caring for a sapling, and his colorful coat. But when I returned to the movie as an adult, I understood why my grandparents cherished the film. The audience is drawn into the retelling of Joseph’s story, witnessing firsthand the negative impact that Jacob’s favoritism had on his son’s life. We enter Joseph’s struggle to hope, the battle within to forgive, and the joyous reunion with his brothers and father. It is a cinematic classic that shines with the love and forgiveness found in God.
Too often, though, we can be like the small child I was and focus only on the vibrantly woven robe. We pass out coloring sheets bearing the coat of many colors to help children learn about Joseph. Or we minimize the true events, telling kids that the other brothers were jealous of his gift. Not only is this a poor example of Bible teaching, but it also emphasizes to kids that the physical coat was the problem.
Scripture’s focus in the account is on the unfair favor that Jacob gave to one son. Joseph’s brothers were not mad because they did not have something as colorful to wear. Rather, the gift was another hole in the dam keeping back the overflow of their jealousy and frustration that was bound to break – Joseph’s dream and his foolish decision to tell his brothers about it, the obvious preference displayed by their father, and the special care given to this son of Rachel. More than anything, the colorful coat served as a symbol of Jacob’s favor and, later, a tangible reminder of the dangers of his favoritism.
We all can learn from his experience as the favored child, and the harm it brought him, by considering how the gift changed from a kingly sign to a torn and bloodied garment. Favoritism might seem natural or innocent, but it always leads to strife and despair.
Why Jacob’s Love for Rachel Shaped His Failures as a Father
We cannot rightly say that the spirit of favoritism started with Jacob, the deceiver or supplanter. His mother and father had played favorites before him, each preferring one twin over the other (Genesis 25:28). It was because of his father’s preference for Esau that he collaborated with his mother to trick Isaac into giving him the blessing instead of Esau (Genesis 27:5-10). Like his tendency toward deception, Jacob inherited the inclination to favor specific individuals over others.
He liked Rachel better than Leah. And so, when he found himself married to both (through the deception of Laban), he naturally expressed greater love toward Rachel. She was the one who was beautiful in form and who had caught his heart at first sight. Leah was merely the girl with weak eyes (Genesis 29:17). Despite the fact that she bore numerous children to Jacob, Leah remained unloved (Genesis 29:31).
Because of his obvious preference, Leah suffered, and a war started between her and Rachel, a great childbearing war that led to Jacob joining himself to two concubines, the sisters’ maidservants. The list of sons grew, reflecting the blessing of God on the womb of Leah, for He does not show favoritism. Yet, the favor Jacob had for Rachel impacted the way he viewed his children. Reuben, the firstborn, was not his preferred choice, neither was Judah (though it was through Judah’s lineage that the Messiah came). No, he loved beyond all others Joseph, the first son born to his favorite wife, Rachel. As Scripture tells us, “Now Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him” (Genesis 37:3, NIV).
Favoritism's Cost on Joseph and the Other Sons
Scholars are uncertain of the exact meaning of the Hebrew word that is commonly translated as a coat of many colors, “an ornate robe” (NIV), or “multicolored tunic” (NASB). The physical object, though, served as a visual reminder to what the other children of Jacob already knew. Joseph was the preferred child, and that reality made them hate him.
Because they felt the bitter sting of the realization that their father did not love them equally, they could not bring themselves to speak kindly to Joseph (Genesis 37:4). It also did not help that this favorite son had brought a bad report about them and that he boasted about dreams he had where all of them would bow down to him (Genesis 37:2, 5-11). Joseph’s brothers already lived with the knowledge that they could never compare in the eyes of their father. The beautiful robe Joseph wore was a constant reminder of that truth. But being told they would have to bow down and serve him, well, that was too much.
Not only did hatred breed in the hearts of Israel’s sons because of favoritism, but jealousy also arose. This combination led them to entertain similar thoughts to the first jealous brother, Cain, who murdered his brother (Genesis 4:8). Readers rightly note the wrongness of their actions. However, the Bible gives us enough details to understand the viewpoint of the brothers. They were tired of the constant favor shown to the young man and wanted him gone from their lives. And that is exactly what they accomplished, though God preserved Joseph’s life by using Reuben to deter the rest of them from shedding blood (Genesis 37:21-22). Instead, they sold him as a slave to a group of Ishmaelites, who in turn took him to Egypt (Genesis 37:28). To deceive their father about their actions, the brothers tore the ornate robe and dipped it in blood. Thus, they convinced their father that Joseph was dead.
Seeing the shredded and bloodied fragments of the garment should have made Jacob pause. Look at what his preference had done; surely, he was wrong to have shown favoritism! Yet, Israel had not learned. He continued the vicious cycle of instilling bitterness in his other sons by entering a time of perpetual mourning. And Joseph suffered by being sold as a slave to Egypt, forced to live in a land far from the home of his father and those who worshiped Yahweh.
God’s Sovereign Plan in Joseph’s Suffering
The Lord did not forsake Joseph, though, even when his brothers had. He was working the entire time as the young man served in the house of Potiphar, learning how to effectively manage and care for a household (Genesis 39:4). Scripture tells us that the Lord was with Joseph and blessed his work (Genesis 39:2). Although Joseph was now a slave in Egypt, God had a greater vision in mind that would transform Joseph and his brothers.
After enduring prison and being elevated to a position just below Pharaoh in rank, Joseph came to a pivotal point in his life. The famine that Pharaoh had dreamed about had already spread across the known world, and Joseph oversaw the rationing of supplies he had wisely advised to store up, by the direction of the Lord. Numerous people from other lands traveled to Egypt to purchase the sought-after grain. Eventually, his brothers came too.
God knew what He was doing by converging their paths at this point. Joseph had the opportunity to see if his jealous brothers had changed – and they had. All of them recognized their guilt in what they had done (see Genesis 42:21). Reuben and Judah were also willing to bear the responsibility of Benjamin, Joseph’s younger brother, if he was not returned to Jacob (see Genesis 42:37; 43:8-10). Judah even offered himself as a slave in exchange for Benjamin’s freedom (Genesis 44:33-34). Instead of being the hateful, murderous brothers as they were before, their hearts had softened.
Seeing the change in his brothers moved Joseph. Although he struggled with the feelings that arose in him, he was able to forgive and see God’s hand in the events of his life (Genesis 45:4-15). Like his brothers, he had also received an ample amount of time to grow in wisdom. As a man in a high-ranking position, his prophetic dream of ruling over his brothers and family had come true, but he was not lording it over others or boasting about his privileged rank. He was using his position for good, serving the people of Egypt and beyond in a way that honored the Lord.
God used for good what the brothers had intended for evil, and through it brought healing to Joseph and his family (Genesis 50:20).
A Warning Against Favoritism in Our Own Lives
Like Jacob, parents may think that having a favorite child is natural and harmless. After all, one specific child may have come at a key moment in life, similar to how Joseph was born to Israel in his old age. Yet, there is nothing harmless about playing favorites in life, whether that is preferring a child, sibling, friend, or church member over another. Our actions and treatment of others can have long-lasting, negative consequences.
The other children, who will notice their parents’ tendency to favor a sibling, will feel unloved. Such feelings can then grow into bitterness and hatred for their sibling. And as for the preferred child, he or she may become conceited and spoiled, or if not, grow despondent because their siblings hate him or her for no specific reason other than being the favorite child – a position they did not request.
Scripture tells us that favoritism is a sin, as it does not reflect the character of God. He does not play favorites, and all are equal in the family of God (Deuteronomy 10:17; Romans 2:11; Galatians 3:28). We should rightly heed the warning of the Bible and avoid preferring one person to another (James 2:1, 9).
If this is an area in which we struggle, then reflecting regularly on Joseph’s special robe would be beneficial to us – not as a seemingly whimsical detail to share with children, but as a symbol of the dangers of favoritism. May we consider that ornate robe and pray that the Lord would help us to cast it aside and instead to daily put on the garments of our new self and view each person around us with the love of Christ (Romans 13:14; Colossians 3:12).
Photo Credit: Chat GPT
Originally published July 21, 2025.
